Electronics and Travel

We have always been pretty determined that our children would not have electronic gadgets that would take time from old fashioned children's play and using imaginations. That is also the reason that the only time we watch TV is as a family in the evenings - usually a kids movie.

I made my first exception last Christmas when I bought leapsters and a didji. I did so with the reasoning that they are educational and if they could learn any simple math or language skills without me having to teach them, it would be worth it. For that reason I brought them for Rosie and Dominic to play with and they have been a huge hit. As you can see, Liu Bo and Isabella are also enamored.

I am having a hard time even admitting the next part, so I am going to give all the rationals first. As you know, Dominic had a very hard first few days with us. When we offered to buy him things he usually said no even to food. The afternoon we had pizza at Chicago Cafe our guide took him for a walk and came back saying that Dominic wanted an MP3 player. My first response was an unequivical 'No!'. (the first thing Rosie asked for was a fake Barbie, I had to say no to that too) I hated to say no to anything at that point so I was really struggling. Fortunately Cheryl came to the rescue again. She offered to buy one for him and download tons of Xiao Ping's Contemporary Chinese Christian music. Dominic was delighted. We decided that all 3 of our eleven year olds could have one so Cheryl bought one for Rosie also and we bought one for Nellie. This meant that Cheryl spent the morning downloading music (for some reason Nellie's didn't work - hers will have songs in English).

While Cheryl was busy Jerry and Xiao Ping took the kids on a paddle boat ride. When I returned from going back to the hotel for the camera, I was pretty horrified to see the two nonswimmers sitting precariously on the front of one of the boats, but they all survived and a grand time was had by all.

Dominic is becoming a happy, helpful young man. He gets up early and goes to run at the fitness center with Jerry and loves being asked to help do anything. He watches Jerry to see how to do things. He seems years older than Rosie, although she is definitely the bossy, talkative one of the two.

It was very hard saying goodbye to Cheryl and the girls. Our flight was thankfully again uneventful. Both children love flying. We are now staying in what is by far, the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in. The downside is that it is not on the island where so many adoptive families stay and it appears to be sorrounded by stores where we couldn't afford to buy anything. We will be here 8 more days. It will feel like forever. But I imagine the breakfast will be to die for.....there is usually an up side to everything..C